I love watching those home makeover shows where the owners are shipped off for a few days while a room or their entire home is redesigned. I always thought it would be fun to be able to surprise someone with a beautiful new room.
A few years ago, I had my chance! My mom was trying to think of a special gift idea for my youngest brother’s sixteenth birthday. She had a limited budget and was struggling to come up with an idea that she felt was suitable for this important occasion. Knowing that my brother desperately wanted to remodel his bedroom, I suggested that we tackle the project ourselves as a surprise birthday gift to him.
My poor brother had been stuck with a Winnie-the-Pooh nursery theme that the previous owners of my parents home had done for their baby. My sister and I hadn’t minded it, but when my brother took over our room he couldn’t wait for a change!
(Excuse the lousy “before” pictures–I didn’t think to take photographs until we had already removed wallpaper border and made the room a mess.)
Mom and I set to work choosing a paint color, sourcing decor items and doing the work while he was in school. It was a challenge keeping my nosey brother out of the room. We didn’t manage a complete surprise (he guessed that we were redoing his bedroom), but he didn’t see the end result until his birthday. He was thrilled!
Total project cost: around $300. How did we do this on a dime? We used many of my frugal decorating tips, and:
– Made a big design impact with inexpensive paint in a bold color
– Scoped out clearance shelves for deals, including aluminum window blinds for $7 per window
– Spruced up existing furniture with paint and/or new hardware
– Made our own simple window treatments with $1 per yard fabric
– Created wall art by cutting out images from an old calendar featuring my brother’s favorite sports team
It may not be a typical gift idea, but a room remodel is a perfect solution for that person who “has everything”, or anyone who just needs a change of scenery. A new room can change a person’s whole perspective, and it’s a gift that lasts for years. If you don’t have the time to fit in the job during the hectic holiday season, wrap up a few decor items, cans of paint, or a collage of idea images, along with a note or homemade coupon promising the recipient that you will help with all the work.
